A Wealth of Years
by M C Pehrson
Summary: Story #67 Spock's eldest son Simon is nearing ordination as a Yanashite priest when he sets off on a musical tour and meets a girl from his past.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A burst of applause drew Simon from a daydream in which he was a young boy again, nervously awaiting his first performance in front of an audience. He was much older now, and quite calm. Standing in the wing, he heard his introduction and walked onto the London Palladium stage. The audience exploded with enthusiastic applause. Positioning himself, he raised his violin to his shoulder, and the auditorium fell silent. For the thirty minutes, he gave himself over to the music. For many of the rapt listeners, this would be their first taste of the Vulcan themes he had woven into his Yanashite compositions. His was the only alien touch in this concert of sacred music and the reason why he had received permission to leave his duties as deacon at the Plum Creek retreat house and go on tour.

At the end of his performance Simon bowed before a standing ovation, and returning to the wing, sat down to watch the remainder of the concert. Tonight something new would be added—a choral group. He had first developed an interest in choirs while on Vulcan, where he trained the voices of young Yanashite children. His groundbreaking choirs still performed there at temple services.

The choral group took its place upon the stage. Adorned in purple robes, they broke into song, accompanied by a scaled-down version of the orchestra. Partway through the rendition of "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone", a young man and woman stepped forward and performed a poignant duet. The woman's angelic voice grabbed Simon's attention. Rising, he moved up by the curtain for a better look at the ethereal blonde beauty. Dane Sutton normally played in the orchestra as a first violinist, and she had seemed familiar from the first moment he saw her. Now, with something of a shock, he realized that they had both attended the Virginia Hatch Institute as children. Mesmerized, he watched the duet to its conclusion, noting how the two singers briefly touched hands before stepping back into the group. Then the choir ended its performance.

Simon remained standing until every one of its members passed him by and disappeared backstage. Only then did he turn and realize that for the first time in his musical career he had left his precious violin on his chair, unattended—let it out of his hands, out of his sight.

oooo

Back at the hotel, Simon spent a restless night thinking of the lovely vocalist. At breakfast there were no empty seats near her. He had to content himself with occasional glances as he ate at another table. Onstage she had worn her hair in an elaborate style, but now it hung long and loose, like golden silk. Either way, she looked ravishing.

After breakfast, the troupe gathered in the lobby. As their tour director issued travel instructions, Simon held tight to his violin case and edged over to the young woman's side. She did not seem to notice him until he began to speak, and when she turned, her vivid blue eyes and thick lashes made him stammer.

"Dane…Dane Sutton. Didn't…didn't we go to school together? In San Francisco?"

Her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of rose, and she said, "I'm surprised you remember me."

His heart was racing so fast that he could barely think. "Why? Why wouldn't I remember?"

"You were always the prize pupil, the star."

"Everyone in that school had talent."

"Not like yours."

Her praise embarrassed him. He may have been the "star", but he was almost expelled a time or two. Casting about for something more to say, he declared, "You sing beautifully."

At that she smiled, and Simon felt as if the whole universe tilted and spun, leaving him a little dizzy.

oooo

In Paris, Simon invited her to dinner. The concerts left time for a meal in a little restaurant along the Seine. A cold rain kept them indoors, but the breathtaking panorama of city lights reminded him of the view from his father's balcony before the San Francisco earthquake. He mentioned the fact to Dane and her face grew sad.

Softly she said, "Did you lose anyone…in the quake?"

"Not family," he replied. "My mother was trapped in the rubble, along with my brother and sister and little niece, but we got them out."

She sighed. "You're lucky. Both my parents were killed. I was an only child, so it's just me now."

Simon's heart went out to her. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I know how hard it can be. I lost my mom and kid sister a few months after the quake."

Dane gave him a sympathetic look. "Yes, it was in the news. At the time, I remembered you and I thought, how terrible…"

She had remembered him!

Simon gazed into her eyes. Boldly he reached across the table and touched her hand. Her fingers closed on his, and the food on his plate lay forgotten.

oooo

Early on, Simon's father had made sure that his hormonal system and that of his younger brother were tested for Vulcan elements. Since the tests were negative and there was no possibility of entering pon farr, Simon had not felt pressured to begin dating. In all his twenty-two years, he had never once kissed a girl. First music and baseball had been his life…and then God. Until Dane, there had been no room in his heart for any other passion.

Now, for the first, he thought of marriage.

The troupe had moved on to Vienna. After enjoying a lunch together, Simon and Dane were walking hand-in-hand through a park when she asked, "Is it true that you had some trouble with your hearing? That you couldn't play music for a while? And there were stories that…that you gave up on life and entered a seminary on Vulcan."

Simon stopped beside a flowerbed and said, "Yes, for a while there was a problem with the way I heard music. And yes, I am studying to be a Yanashite priest, but that doesn't mean that I've given up on life. It means that I'm embracing it."

"A…priest?" Though she did not mention the word "celibacy", it seemed to hang in the winter air.

For a moment Simon did not know how to approach the delicate subject. Then, with his eyes on the flowers, he simply told her, "Yanashite priests can marry and have families."

They looked at one another and his mind yearned to explore her thoughts, but the recent years of Vulcan exercises kept his shields firmly in place. Scarcely breathing, he drew closer, slowly leaned in, and pressed his lips to her welcoming mouth. Dane's arms went around him, and holding her slim body tight, he experienced his first kiss.

oooo

In Moscow's snow, Dane's singing partner developed laryngitis. The popular duet was in danger of cancellation when Simon asked to audition for the male part. Though his baritone voice had not been formally trained, his rendition satisfied the choral master and he was allowed to sing at the next seven performances. Sharing the stage with Dane so thrilled him that he often lay awake at night reliving each precious moment. He began to wish that the tour would never end, but inevitably that final day arrived. Between performances, he managed to steal a moment alone with her under a full South African moon. It was the height of summer in that hemisphere, and the night air was pleasantly warm.

They sat on a secluded park bench. As Dame nestled against him, Simon's heart ached at the thought of leaving her. Gathering his courage, he said, "Dane, I…I want you to know that I love you."

Her face turned to him, eyes open wide. "I love you, too, Simon. I think I always have."

Holding each other, they kissed, and Simon thought he would burst with joy. "Come home with me," he urged. "Come to Plum Creek and meet my family."

Dane straightened. As she withdrew from his arms, Simon sensed a sharp emotion that seemed very much like fear.

"Oh, Simon," she said. "I don't know…"

"What do you mean? What's wrong?"

She hesitated. "I have to get back to Boston."

It was a weak excuse. He knew that she was not due back at the Philharmonic for another week. "Dane, you'll love Plum Creek. Just a little mountain cabin and a Yanashite retreat house. You can stay out in one of the rooms."

She hung her head, as if ashamed to speak. Softly she said, "Your home sounds like a wonderful place. That's not the problem. It's just…" And she fell silent.

Simon's heart sank. "It's me, then."

She shook her head. "No. It's not _you_. You're not like them…"

"Them?"

She wiped at her eyes and he realized that she was crying. He had always been so careful of her mental privacy, but now, as he reached for her, only one thing seemed to matter. He _must_ understand.

Touching Dane's face, he brushed the edges of her mind so gently that she did not even notice the intrusion. But no matter how he might try to justify his behavior, the act was deliberate and it was wrong. As he struggled with his guilt, he saw the reason for her tearful reluctance to meet his family. _So she was not an angel, after all. Well, neither was he._

Letting his hand drop, he said, "There's no reason to be afraid. Vulcan hybrids aren't so very different from humans." Then a terrible thought struck him. "You're not into CUE, are you? Those people who don't want any aliens on Earth?"

"Me? No." She did not question how he knew what she meant by "them". Ironically, she said, "But Vulcans can read your mind."

Simon's stomach went leaden. Gently he said, "Look at me."

In the moonlight, she raised her tear-dampened eyes to his.

He asked, "Do I scare you?"

"No," she breathed.

He swallowed hard. "I look very human, don't I?"

She nodded.

"The Vulcan part of me doesn't show, but it's still there. It's inside."

Her body tensed and she drew back. "You mean that you…"

"I'm a touch telepath. A Yanashite priest _must_ be telepathic."

Bolting to her feet, she stared at him. "You know everything…everything I've been thinking?"

He felt that he could honestly answer "No." Not _everything._ "There are mental shields that prevent our thoughts from overlapping. Yet if you wanted, we could meld. You would know a true meld was happening."

Dane did not seem convinced. Their final hours in South Africa were awkward, and they parted with neither a kiss nor a promise.

oooo

"Something's happened," T'Naisa said to Spock as she prepared their year-old daughter for bed.

Spock watched little Tess clutch playfully at the warm pink pajamas T'Naisa was struggling to put on her.

T'Naisa explained, "Simon hasn't been the same since he got back from the tour. I can tell he's unhappy."

"Indeed," Spock said. "I suspect it is the lure of his music. He may be having second thoughts about the priesthood."

"He could stay a _gol'nevsu_ …a deacon. He doesn't have to go on."

Spock nodded his agreement. "If there is no change in the morning, I will speak to him."

They were sitting down to breakfast when Simon's baritone voice rang through the clearing. Still singing, he burst into the cabin and took his usual seat at the family table.

Smiling brightly, he said, "Good morning!" And proceeded to eat with an appetite that had been lacking for days.

His brother James downed the last of his food and ran to catch the airbus for school. Tess drummed her spoon on the tray of her high chair and began to loudly sing "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

"Tessie, hush!" T'Naisa rebuked her. "Whatever happened to my snarth-proof baby? The sweet, quiet one. Remember?"

Tess fell silent and frowned.

"Really, T'Naisa," Spock remarked in a dry tone, "as if she would actually recall the days following her birth." He knew that his wife had not meant her words literally, but felt inclined to tease her.

Before T'Naisa could respond, Simon suddenly looked up from his plate and said, "Father, T'Naisa…I have a friend coming to visit…a fellow musician."

 _Ah,_ Spock thought _. So it is the music, after all._

T'Naisa smiled. "Wonderful. When is he coming?"

Simon's handsome face seemed to flush. "Saturday. Only…"

The silence stretched.

"Yes?" Spock prompted.

Simon set down his fork and chose his words carefully. "There's a problem. You see, this friend of mine…has never been around Vulcans…and is a little bit apprehensive."

Spock raised a brow. "You may tell him that we will be especially unintimidating, for his sake."

T'Naisa stifled a laugh.

Simon's eyes flashed with sudden anger. Rising from his chair, he said, "This isn't a joke. My friend is not a 'he'. She's a woman I care deeply about, and I'm only asking that you be nice to her."

Startled, Spock shared a brief glance with T'Naisa. _A woman!_ Until now, Simon had never shown more than a passing mild interest in any young lady. This would explain Simon's moods.

He looked at his son. "Rein in your temper. We will be nice to her."

"We're _always_ nice," T'Naisa insisted. "Aren't we, Spock? Aren't we always nice?"

"Most assuredly," Spock replied. "And for Simon's sake, we will be…extra nice."

With a huff, Simon strode out of the cabin.

Spock turned to his wife and could not help but smile a little.

oooo

Saturday morning, Simon waited impatiently at the Sanctuary's transporter booth. Since they had no relay equipment of their own, it served only as a way station. Suddenly the lock light began to glow. Behind the transparent door, a swirl of sparkling energy coalesced into human form. His heart pounding, Simon opened the door and welcomed Dame into his arms. She glanced about nervously, and seeing that they were alone, settled into a long kiss of welcome.

Afterward, she said, "I couldn't keep away. I had to see you, even if…"

"I'm not reading your mind," he assured her. "My parents are only touch telepaths, and you can relax because they won't lay a hand on you. My brother Jamie looks Vulcan, but he has the mind of a human. And there aren't any Vulcans here in the retreat house this weekend."

"You work with Vulcans here?"

"Yes, I bunk upstairs. During retreats, I provide counseling and perform the occasional baptism or marriage. Meanwhile, Father's tutoring me on my final studies for the priesthood."

Dane gripped his hand tightly. "Where is he?"

"Right down the hall, in the office. Come on, he wants to meet you." Simon led her to the office door and knocked.

From inside, Father said, "Enter."

With his own share of apprehension, Simon ushered Dane into the room. Spock rose from his desk chair and looked at them. Sensing Dane's uneasiness, Simon slipped a comforting arm around the small of her back.

"Father," he said, "I'd like you to meet Dane Sutton of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. Dane, this is my father, Spock."

Father inclined his head. "Miss Sutton, you are most welcome."

"Hello, sir," she forced out.

Father said, "I hear that you are an accomplished vocalist, as well as a violinist."

Dane seemed to have lost her voice, so Simon said, "Father plays a couple of Vulcan string instruments, piano, and the flute. My mom played the flute, too."

Dane stirred. "The flute? I fiddled around with that in high school…" She gave a nervous laugh. "No pun intended."

"None taken," Father smoothly replied.

Dane cast Simon a bewildered glance.

"Vulcan humor," he explained. "Dry as dust. You'll get used to it."

They left the retreat house and stopped at the corral to look at the horses and burro in their scruffy winter coats. Then entering the cabin, they found T'Naisa on her hands and knees gathering raisins Tess had scattered in the midst of her play.

T'Naisa glanced up, and pushing at an unruly lock of red hair, smiled warmly. "So this is Dane!" she said, getting to her feet.

Simon introduced Dane to his stepmother, and could tell she was not as intimidated by this emotionally free halfling.

As T'Naisa took off after Tess, Dane leaned toward Simon and said low, "She's different!"

He quietly explained, "T'Naisa was raised human."

Outdoors, it began to snow. T'Naisa lent Dane some winter gear and Simon took her for a walk through the woods. They came to Plum Creek's own "Inspiration Point". The thick fall of snow obscured the mountains as it whispered into the meadows far below.

"Well," Simon said, "what do you think?"

Snowflakes clung to her lashes. With nose and cheeks rosy from the cold, she replied, "It's beautiful."

"I mean my father…and T'Naisa. Do they still scare you?"

He saw that she wanted to please him, but was too honest to lie. His heart ached with love for her. Grasping her mitten-covered hands, he gazed into her eyes and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of…you'll see. Oh, Dane." He could no longer restrain himself. "Dane, marry me."

She turned from him and gazed out over the point. The fact that she did not say "no" left Simon hopeful, but he knew that he had moved far too quickly. She would need time to sort through the strangeness of his family. From now on, he must take care not to pressure her.

At lunch, Jamie showed up, and Dane met the gangling teenage version of their father. He had brought along his Native American friend, Lame Wolf, whose long black hair hung below his shoulders. Jamie explained that Lame Wolf lived on the neighboring property with "Uncle" Jim Kirk, the former admiral and starship captain. He went on to say that their father had also commanded the _Enterprise_ for a time.

Dane smiled politely and worked on her soup.

Simon said, "Okay, Jamie, that's enough. By now she probably thinks we're a bunch of bragging egotists."

T'Naisa asked Dane about her plans for the future.

Dane ducked her head and said, "Well, I'm happy with the Philharmonic…not first chair, but maybe, in time…"

Simon scarcely heard the rest of the conversation. Dane was happy in Boston. A musician with her talent could not be expected to leave it all behind for him. He wanted her to perform, yet he also wanted her at his side.

After the meal, Father brought out his flute and let Dane coax a halting melody from it. Her eyes lit when Simon brought in his violin, along with a second case containing an older, less valuable instrument. They played together, and at T'Naisa's request sang an a capella version of the hymn they had performed during their tour. When it was over, he met Dane's dancing eyes and shared her laughter while their little audience clapped in appreciation. In that shining moment, he foresaw a wondrous future in which anything seemed possible.

oooo

Spock sat studying the gleaming flute in his hands. The cabin was quiet. Simon and Dane were back outdoors with James and Lame Wolf. T'Naisa returned to the living area after putting Tess down for her nap, and settled beside him on the sofa.

"It is plain to see," Spock said. "He is deeply taken with her."

"She loves him, too. Did you notice how they looked at one another after the song?"

"Hmm."

The noncommittal sound made T'Naisa wonder. "What's the matter? Don't you approve of Dane?"

"She is a highly talented young woman pursuing a career on the other side of the continent."

T'Naisa sighed. "They'll sort it out."

"At the expense of the priesthood?"

"Spock, if he's meant to be a priest, it will happen."

She was right, of course, but Spock still found the situation troubling. Yanash had kept a guiding hand on Simon since he was twelve years old. Was Dane Sutton part of the Shiav's plan?

oooo

At the first opportunity, Simon visited Dane in Boston. Now that she had returned to the orchestra, her demanding schedule left little time for socialization. Simon's reputation as a musician and composer gained him access to a rehearsal, and afterward he joined Dane in a nearby café.

As they finished their meal, she invited him to the apartment she shared with her cat.

Simon gave a regretful smile. "My father would call that 'unseemly' for a candidate to the priesthood, and maybe he'd be right. Dane, I love you so much. I don't want to put either of us in the way of temptation."

"You sound like a priest already," she complained. "I just want to show you where I live. I'll keep to myself….I promise."

Dane broke her promise soon after they walked through the door, and Simon did little to discourage her. After weeks of phone conversations, it was a joy to kiss her and hold her close. He ached to deepen their relationship both mentally and physically, to make her his wife and share a home together. But all too soon, the time neared for her evening performance and his subsequent departure.

Standing with his arms around her, Simon said, "I don't want to leave you."

"Then why don't you move here?" she spoke softly into his ear. "You could easily find work as a musician...probably right in my orchestra. This morning the conductor asked about you. Think of it; we could play together every day."

Drawing back, he looked deeply into her eyes. "Would you marry me then?"

"In a second," she answered at once. With rising excitement, she rushed on. "You could move in here with me…a pair of musicians…Mr. and Mrs. however-you-pronounce-it."

"S'chn T'gai," he said with a deep chuckle. Leaning down, he kissed her beautiful, eager face and was sorely tempted. "But I can't, don't you see? I want to be a priest."

Tears welled in her blue eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "Simon, I'm not like you. I have to perform. I've spent my whole life getting to this point and I can't just throw it away now."

"I don't want you to," he assured her.

"But if you can't…and I can't…" Her voice choked.

Simon wiped at one of her tears with a finger. Reaffirming his vocation to the priesthood had left him strangely calm inside. He did not love Dane any less, but his mind was clear and focused.

"We'll find a way," he promised. "Better wash your face. You don't want to be late."

His tone seemed to reassure her. After one final kiss, she readied herself for the concert and they headed out the door.

oooo

Up to this point, Simon had said very little to Dane about the religious faith that was so important to his life. After he arrived home, he began sending her information about Yanash and the growing number of Vulcans who had turned from their Golist and Seleyan traditions to follow him. He sometimes included excerpts from scriptures.

Dane soon phoned him. "This Spock who wrote some of scriptures—he's your dad? He was with Yanash?"

"I thought you knew that," Simon replied to her screen image. "The press always plays up that angle. T'Naisa knew Yanash personally, too."

"I don't much follow the news," she admitted. "I didn't have any idea. They seem so…ordinary, living in that little cabin, picking up after a toddler. I mean…T'Naisa even _cooks."_

"She likes to cook. She doesn't much care for replicators, and my mother was the same way."

"I suppose, but…"

Simon smiled. "They may be famous, but they're just people…just family…and Yanash wants us to set an example of the new Vulcan family dynamic. It's okay to touch one another, to show love. It's okay to smile."

Dane frowned. "Your father barely smiles at all."

"He's old school. It's hard to change, but believe me, he's loosened up considerably from when I was little. And T'Naisa's been good for him."

"I like her," she said sincerely, "and little Tess is cute with those big brown eyes and that mop of auburn hair."

Thinking of Dane's parents lost in the earthquake, Simon nodded. "I would have liked to know your mom and dad."

"Now, they were _really_ ordinary," she remarked fondly.

But to Simon, everything about Dane was so special, that he was quite sure her parents had been extraordinary, too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Winter gradually gave way to some spring-like weather. In early March, Dane squeezed in a trip to Plum Creek. It was her third visit. Taking advantage of the pleasant sunshine, Simon borrowed T'Naisa and Jamie's horses and took her riding. They followed the trail to the Kirk ranch, where he introduced her to "Uncle" Jim and family. Antonia invited them to lunch. As Simon observed the mealtime conversation, he realized that Dane was much more relaxed around these humans she had just met, than around his racially mixed family.

On the ride home he carefully said, "Dane, you liked the Kirks, didn't you?"

She turned her head and flashed him a smile. "Oh, yes…they're awfully nice."

"Nicer than my brother Jamie and my father?"

Her smile faded. She stared straight ahead at the trail. "I can't help it. I can't help the way I feel."

"Maybe," he suggested, "if you spent more time with them…"

"Time?" Her tone was justifiably defensive. "I was lucky to get this one day. As it is, I should be practicing. You know that. You've lived a musician's life."

Simon sighed. He had been busy, too. The influx of Yanashites to the Sanctuary was exceeding all expectations. Just this week, they had turned Vulcans away for lack of accommodations. Now there was a waiting list.

"Dane," he said, pulling up on the horse's reins.

She stopped beside him. Leaning over in the saddle, he kissed her, and the brief moment of discord was forgotten.

oooo

"Father, I'd really like you to come," Simon declared.

Spock was clearly startled by the request to accompany him on a trip to Boston. "What? I should think you'd want that time alone with Dane."

"Not the whole day, just for the evening performance. They're letting her play a solo concerto—her first."

"Ah." Father nodded. "I would like to be there. I am sure T'Naisa would, also…" An eyebrow lifted in regret. "But that would leave the Sanctuary untended."

Simon was relieved that he did not have to tell his father outright, _No, just you._ It would have been very awkward.

The tickets were purchased. On the evening of the concert, Spock arrived at the concert hall punctually. Wearing a dark suit, he took his seat beside Simon.

As the curtain began to open, Simon whispered in his pointed ear, "Don't tell Dane this was my idea. You wanted to come, didn't you? That's all she needs to know. And afterward, whatever I say, just go along with it. Please?"

Father studied him through narrowed eyes, and for a moment Simon felt like a small, wayward boy.

The performance began, and soon it was Dane's turn on the stage. From the very first note, Simon was mesmerized. Dane flawlessly fingered the violin strings, using her bow to make the instrument sing and plead and weep like a human voice. With tears in his eyes, he applauded.

After the concert, he found her backstage and caught her in an embrace. He felt her stiffen as she noticed Spock standing nearby, but kissed her anyway. Then brightly he said, "My father came. He wanted to see you perform."

She smiled at Spock politely. "I hope you liked it, sir."

Spock looked very much the Vulcan as he inclined his head. "An excellent rendition."

Simon said, "Dane, have you eaten? Father's buying us dinner."

Dane hesitated. "Well…I had a _little_ something."

Simon avoided his father's eyes as he took up her violin case and escorted her from the building. All through dinner he brought up incidents from the past that made his father seem a bit more human, but Dane still looked tense.

Simon drummed his fingers while Spock compliantly paid the bill.

"Thank-you for dinner," Dane said in a courteous manner. She began to rise. "I really need to get home now."

Simon hurried to his feet and suggested, "Let's show Father your apartment."

Dane skewered him with a barbed look, but that was not the worst of it. Simon realized that his desperate suggestion had made it all too clear that he knew his way around her apartment. It was clear from Spock's face that he disapproved. At this rate, how would Dane ever overcome her fear of Vulcans?

Trying to save the situation, Simon said, "It's a nice little place, Father. Dane even talked _me_ into seeing it."

They headed out onto the sidewalk together. The sky shone with stars, and a bitterly cold wind was blowing.

"Better use the shortcut or we'll freeze," Dane said in a resigned tone.

She steered them halfway down the block, then turned into an alley. Simon did not like the look of it, but this was Dane's neighborhood and he had no choice but to trust her judgment. Even so, he held her hand protectively. As they entered the narrow unlit passage, Father positioned himself on Dane's opposite side.

About twenty paces into the alley, a dark form leaped from the shadows and something hit Simon's head hard. Stunned, he dropped to the pavement in pain. Dane screamed, but Simon's limbs were lethargic. By the time he made it to his feet, Father had a hulking youth pinned to the wall and was informing him that his behavior was most inappropriate. Summoned by Dane's phone, the police arrived, took a report, and hauled away the culprit who was wanted for other assaults. A medical response team determined that Simon was not seriously injured. Since he declined to go with them, they brought out a protoplaster and mended a small bleeding gash on his scalp.

Shaken by the incident, Dane insisted that they continue on to her apartment to warm up. There in the living room she served tea, then dabbed the reddish blood from Simon's throbbing head with a damp washcloth.

"Such a strange color," she said. "I'd been wondering if your blood was green." Shyly she turned to Spock, seated comfortably in an upholstered chair. "Sir, I'm glad you were with us. Who knows what might have happened? Poor Simon." Bending down, she kissed the top of Simon's dark, wavy hair.

Simon smiled up at her. "Vulcans can be nice to have around."

A puffy white cat entered the room, stretched, and leaped into Father's lap.

"LaRue!" Dane sounded shocked. "Look at that! She barely tolerates me; she _never_ makes up to strangers." Apologetic, she hurried over to her guest. "I'm so sorry, I'll put her in the bedroom. Those dark clothes of yours will show every cat hair."

Father placidly stroked the animal, which had settled down on his lap, purring contentedly. "It is quite alright," he assured her. "LaRue does not mean any harm."

Simon laughed. "It was the same with my sister T'Beth's cat; they…" He froze, but there was no way to retract the words.

Dane gave him a confused look. "Tabeth? You have a sister named Tabeth?"

A sister whose blood was more mixed than his own. A sister born as a result of Sy-jeeral seduction. The timing could not have been worse, with Spock sitting right there. Simon himself had only recently asked his father about it, and learned the whole embarrassing truth.

It was Father who finally spoke up. "Her full name is Cristabeth, and she is Simon's half-sister. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three children."

"Then she's quite a bit older than Simon," Dane surmised.

"Yes," Simon said, adding, "Her mother died when she was a baby." And then he changed the subject.

As expected, Father's dress clothes were thick with cat hair when they left, but that was not the only fallout from the evening. Simon awaited the coming reprimand while he strode beside him to the neighborhood transporter hub.

"An interesting night," Father mused. "I trust that you are not making yourself _too_ much at home in Dane's apartment?"

Simon felt his face warm. "No, sir. Not too much. And about dinner…I just wanted you to make a good impression on her. I'll pay you back."

"I…see." Father replied, not inquiring as to the need for a good impression. Having lived long among humans, perhaps he understood well enough. "As for the restaurant charges—you paid for my concert ticket and you have paid for my transportation. Dinner will be my contribution…this time. But in the future, you will not make my decisions for me. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Simon said. And gingerly fingering the painful lump on his head, he added, "I'm just glad you were here."

Father's hand settled on his shoulder. "So am I."

oooo

The latest word from Vulcan brought Spock new, unexpected responsibilities. As he was viewing Sorel's message, T'Naisa heard the voice of the Yanashite leader and came into the living area. Standing close at Spock's side, she listened as Sorel requested that he select an appropriate site and oversee the placement of Earth's first full-sized temple.

T'Naisa leaned down and hugged him around the neck. "Oh, perfect!"

Spock paused the screen. Turning his head, he found her eyes shining with excitement. "Does this information hold some significance of which I am unaware?"

"Phoenix!" she exclaimed. "Now, there's the perfect location for a temple. Beautiful weather, with more and more Yanashites moving there all the time."

"You seem to have given this some previous thought," he observed.

Something in her smile suggested that he had not yet heard all of her ideas. Raising a delicately arched brow, she met his bemused gaze. "Picture this: a large, beautiful temple complex staffed by our Earthside priest. His assistant? A young, newly ordained fellow whose wife plays violin in the symphonic orchestra now forming in that city…"

"A new orchestra?"

T'Naisa nodded with certainty. "It's called Westbrook."

"Logical," Spock conceded, "eminently logical in respect to Simon's needs. Sorel might not agree." He turned back to the screen. "Let us see if there's more to this message."

Spock had already been providing Simon with some religious training. Now, with a second retreat house about to open in Mexico, Sorel requested that theirs be transformed into a small seminary to prepare Vulcan immigrants for the priesthood.

Smiling broadly, T'Naisa plucked a white cat hair off his shoulder and said, " _Olé!_ We saw it coming, didn't we?"

"Indeed," Spock replied, for they had discussed just such a possibility. Two retreatants in particular had shown a great interest in becoming priests. Already his mind was working on schedules and curriculum.

oooo

Dane was visiting Simon at Plum Creek when Spock and T'Naisa informed them of the newly approved temple site.

"Phoenix!" Simon loved the idea. "I never thought we'd be expanding this soon."

"A down payment has been made on a suitable property," Spock said. "You must return now to Vulcan for your final months of training and ordination. Once the remodeling is complete, you will go to Phoenix as assistant priest."

Simon's rush of happiness dimmed at the thought of leaving Dane even for so short a time. And there was still the problematic issue of their long-distance relationship.

Father turned his attention to Dane. Since the eventful night in Boston, she seemed much more relaxed in his presence. Now Father unexpectedly told her, "As it so happens, there is a new orchestra forming in Phoenix. They are currently auditioning musicians."

Dane's blue eyes widened, and then she smiled in delight. Simon watched in disbelief as she threw her arms around Spock and planted a kiss on his startled face. Leaving his bemused stepmother to wipe off the lipstick, Simon drew Dane out into the privacy of the woods, where they celebrated with some kissing of their own.

"Now," he said, breathless with excitement, "now you'll marry me, won't you? I'm sure you'll get on in Phoenix."

Her face full of love, she nodded…and then began making plans for their wedding. But it was soon clear that she did not envision a Yanashite bonding ceremony, and for Simon, no other rite would be valid. Gathering his courage, he explained the situation as gently as possible.

Little frown lines appeared between her brows. "What does that mean, a 'bonding ceremony'? What does it involve?"

"You've probably guessed it," he said, preparing for her objection. "There's a mindtouch by the priest…a mental linking."

"But I'm not Vulcan!"

"Neither was my mom. She was completely human like you, and this stuff scared her. But she loved my father and she trusted him. She knew he wouldn't do anything to harm her." She started to turn away, but he put his hands on her slim shoulders. "Dane. I love you. You believe that, don't you?"

Her gaze dropped. She gave a slow nod.

"Maybe," he dared to suggest, "if I touched your mind now…just a little. You'd see that there's nothing to be afraid of."

Dane studied him with an anxious expression. Then hesitantly she said, "…Go ahead."

For a moment he just held her, hoping against hope that he would get this right. Then leaning down, he briefly kissed her trembling mouth before moving a hand to her face. Looking deeply into her eyes, he let his thoughts reach toward her and taste the sweetness of her mind. A shiver of pleasure passed through his body, into hers.

As he drew back, Dane smiled in astonishment. And though she blushed, from that moment on she offered no objection to a Yanashite joining. The last of her fears had given way.

oooo

Summer arrived. Funded by a consortium of wealthy Yanashites, the Phoenix temple complex took shape in record time. On Vulcan, Simon was duly ordained and chose to voyage back to Earth before offering his first Sacred Kuru. He did not come alone. Sorel had decided to assign a new pastor at Phoenix, so that Earth's original priest, Kero, could devote himself exclusively to the far-flung settlements. Yosak would be the Temple Master.

Simon's first Kuru marked the opening of the Vulcan-style temple. Yanashites arrived from every corner of Earth, and seated among them were many of Simon's non-Vulcan friends and relatives. A gong sounded and he started up the center aisle in his vestments, accompanied by Yosak, Kero, and a pair of young incense-bearing servers. Up in a loft, Dane lifted her violin and performed one of his sacred compositions.

Simon ascended the steps to the candlelit altar and began the rite. Though the ceremonial prayers were in Vulcan, he gave the homily in Standard for the benefit of those who did not know the alien tongue. He thanked his father and stepmother for their patience and support. He remembered the kindness and faith of his deceased mother. He spoke of the self-sacrificing Shiav who chose death rather than leave his children lost in their sins. In conclusion he urged, "Let us embrace this good God with all our hearts."

Then, back at the altar, he spoke the sacred words of consecration, transforming ordinary water into the saving Blood of Yanash. With tears in his eyes, he offered the life-giving cup to Father and T'Naisa before distributing the Living Water to the other Yanashites. If only Dane would come to faith, his joy would be complete. Like so many people, her spirituality was vague and underdeveloped. She was like a flower bud waiting to unfurl its beautiful petals to the sun. For now, he had to be content hearing her play another selection of sacred music at the conclusion of the rite.

After a reception on the temple grounds, Simon followed his family to T'Beth's house, where Dane had been renting the guest cottage. She was now an official member of the Phoenix Westbrook Orchestra, in rehearsal for its premiere performance. Though they were now living in close proximity, their busy schedules would allow them precious few moments together.

Simon enjoyed swimming with Dane in T'Beth's pool, and noticed the ease with which his fiancé interacted with every member of the family. After a late barbecue, the other adults went indoors, taking the children with them. For the first time that day, Simon and Dane were alone.

Simon led her to the porch swing in front of the cottage. They sat side by side in the warm twilight, his arm nestled around Dane, her head resting on his shoulder. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a small gift box and offered it to her. Dane sat up. She opened the lid and was clearly surprised to find a diamond engagement ring.

"Oh, it's gorgeous," she said, "but you didn't have to. I mean, Vulcans don't use rings, do they?"

Simon smiled. "I'm three-quarters human, and don't you forget it. The ring came with two wedding bands—one for each of us. Just give the word."

He slipped the sparkling ring on her finger, and lifting her hand to his lips, read the longing in her eyes. There was no need for her to say anything. His arms went around her and she returned the embrace.

oooo

The following day was hectic for Simon as he began orienting himself to his new duties. Under the guidance of the temple master, he celebrated his second Kuru, instructed children in the faith, and offered his first Forgiving Touch to some young penitents. In addition to those activities, other mundane but necessary affairs consumed so much of his time that he could not find a moment for the concerto he had begun composing with Dane in mind. Late that night he dropped into bed, tired and lonely for her.

In the morning, Simon sat down to breakfast with the temple master. Yosak was a much older man with a very elegant manner. A former priest of Gol, he had been ordained a Yanashite priest four years ago, and currently had no bondmate. It had already become clear to Simon that, like most Vulcans, Yosak would be a demanding superior.

The meal was nearly over before Simon could bring himself to say, "Sir, I am engaged to a young woman and we wish to marry."

The Vulcan slowly set down his fork and stared at him. In a condescending tone he said, "Simon, how old are you?"

Simon's temper stirred. Yosak knew his age to the precise millisecond. Controlling himself, he replied, "I am twenty-two. Dane has recently turned twenty-three. We have been keeping company for seven months and four days."

Yosak raised a slim, slanted eyebrow. "The fact that you have been ordained at so young an age is in itself most unusual. Now, marriage? You are three-quarters human and unlikely to undergo the pon farr. Even if you should experience a hormonal flux, we Yanashites suffer a much milder form. There is no longer any need for early marriages. I do not approve of them."

Simon struggled to hold his tongue as Yosak meticulously folded his napkin, rose from the table, and left. Alone with his disappointment, he wadded his own napkin into a ball and hurled it across the room.

oooo

Dane broke down and wept when he told her. Her sobs tore at Simon as they stood in the privacy of T'Beth's cottage.

"Can he do that?" she questioned. "Can he really keep you from marrying me?"

"Yosak is my superior," he said hopelessly. "If only we'd married beforehand. I bet Kero would have done it."

"It's all my fault," she cried. "I should have married you when you first asked."

Simon crushed her close and kissed her golden hair. "No, Dane, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known, any more than I did." Disturbed by the course of his thoughts, he went silent. Entering the cottage had been a bad idea. Every inch of his body ached for the natural fulfillment of their love. How easy it would be just to lock the door and claim the pleasure Yosak was denying them. But Simon's love for Dane demanded that he protect her, even from the force of their own passion. And his devotion to the Shiav made him respect God's moral law.

Moving away from her, he sank into a chair and lowered his face into his hands. "Obviously Yosak had a bondmate once, but I wonder if he ever loved her? According to Vulcan custom, those marriages are arranged in childhood."

Dane dried her tears. In a determined voice, she said, "Well, I have a feeling that your father knows a thing or two about love. _He'll_ see to this. I'm going to Plum Creek."

Simon raised his head and saw that Dane's eyes were completely fearless. And marveling, he thought, _how things have changed…_

oooo

Spock completed the final instruction period of the day, and leaving his two seminarians, stepped out into the summer warmth. It felt good to be teaching again, even on so small a scale. Before heading to the cabin, he walked over to the corral, where Starburst stretched her neck over the fence toward him. As he stroked the filly's pure white face, she made sounds of contentment.

A now-familiar voice took him by surprise. "It's hard to believe she was ever wild."

Spock turned and found Dane Sutton standing alone in the yard. Though she looked as lovely as ever, he saw at once that her eyes were deeply troubled.

"Dane," he said with a small smile of greeting.

She stepped nearer. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this. I took a chance that you'd be home."

"You are welcome anytime," Spock assured her.

She joined him at the corral, and her attention seemed to focus on Jamie's leopard Appaloosa. Fingering the horse's mane, she said, "The temple master won't let Simon marry me. He thinks we're too young." Dane raised angry, tear-filled eyes to Spock. "How old is old enough? Twenty-five? Thirty? Sir, I'll be honest with you. So far we've waited, but it's not getting any easier, if you know what I mean. We need to be husband and wife."

The frank admission by his son's fiancé embarrassed Spock. He turned his gaze upon a distant tree.

"Help us," Dane pressed. "As a Yanashite envoy, and now head of this seminary, there must be something you can do."

Her hand briefly touched his arm, and the intensity of her emotions lapped at his mental barriers. She was truly desperate. As Spock met her eyes, he realized that this talented young woman had already become like a daughter to him. Though her coloring reminded him of his late daughter Teresa, Dane was unlike any daughter he could ever produce. She was fully human…and therein might lie the solution to this problem.

"While it is true," he gently told her, "that I am an envoy and seminary instructor, it would be inadvisable for me to intervene for my own son in a matter such as this." Raising a hand to head off her objection, he continued, "In such a delicate situation, one must proceed with care. Yosak is Vulcan, therefore he respects logic. Any argument you and Simon present must, above all, be logical, or he will never be swayed. I suggest you tell him this…" And Spock proceeded to advise her.

oooo

"This is my fiancé, Dane Sutton," Simon said as he presented her to Yosak for their appointment in the temple master's wood-paneled office.

His superior looked up from his desk with mild interest. "Greetings, Miss Sutton."

Dane offered him a restrained but courteous smile. "Good afternoon, sir."

Simon held her icy hand as they settled into a couple of chairs facing the desk. He knew that Yosak would consider social niceties a waste of time, so he chose a direct approach. Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out a computer disk and set it on top of the desk. Yosak eyed it curiously.

"Sir," Simon said without preamble, "would you not agree that the primary purpose of marriage is reproduction?"

He knew by the lift of Yosak's brow that his superior was uncomfortable with the subject.

"Of course," Yosak replied.

"Then I ask, sir, that you consider the reproductive difference between human and Vulcan females." The green tint of Yosak's skin seemed to deepen, but Simon pressed on. "This disk contains established medical data regarding the period of optimal fertility in human females."

Simon stood. Popping the disk into Yosak's desktop computer, he paged to a graph and positioned the screen so his superior could view it. "As you can see, the curve is quite different from that of a Vulcan. Physiologically, Dane's best reproductive years are between the age of twenty and twenty-four. If you wish, I can provide more scientific data, but I believe this shows that among humans, an early marriage is not only logical, but preferable."

Yosak cleared his throat. "Simon, you are a priest. You have chosen to serve Yanash. The complications of marriage would only distract from your duties."

"Sir," Simon answered readily, "it is the _lack_ of a bondmate that I find presently distracting. God created us male and female, so that we complement one another. The Shiav did not forbid his priests to marry."

"He spoke of a higher path."

"A path that is not meant for everyone. Sir…Sorel himself, the leader of the Yanashites, recently presided over the marriage of Marek to the healer T'Mira."

"T'Mira is a Yanashite woman."

Thanks again to his father, Simon had anticipated that very argument. "Yanash did not forbid marriage to unbelievers."

"He advised against it."

"The Shiav advised us to open our hearts, and I have opened my heart to this woman. In our love we are already as one, and should not be made to live apart."

With a tremulous smile, Dane took his hand and said to Yosak, "Sir, I want you to know that I fully support Simon in his Yanashite beliefs and priestly ministry. I would do nothing to prevent him from carrying out his duties."

"Enough," Yosak proclaimed.

Simon took it as a dismissal and his spirits plummeted. Seeing the tearful disappointment in his fiancé's eyes, he swallowed hard. "Come on," he beckoned to her, rising.

They were at the door when Yosak said, "I will consider the matter."

oooo

Almost a year had passed since Simon first noticed the lovely young singer with an angelic voice. It was autumn in Arizona, and a warm sun streamed down like a blessing upon the Phoenix temple. Once again, family and friends gathered for a milestone in his life.

Inside the building, music played. Incense mingled with the scent of flowers as the wedding party made their way to the altar, where Simon awaited his bride. As ring bearer, young Louis Pascal led the procession, followed by his sisters Bethany and Rose Ellen. Adorned in a white gown and veil, Dane took her place beside Simon.

Yosak himself performed the age-old Vulcan ceremony. At the ritual mindtouch, Dane showed no sign of her former fear. Kneeling together, Simon and his bride welcomed the mental linking that would join them from that day forward. Since Dane could not receive the Living Water, Simon chose at that point to share the traditional cup of Vulcan shayo, instead.

Husband and wife, they left the temple in a shower of rice enthusiastically provided by Simon's female relatives. Afterward there was a reception at the temple hall, complete with wedding cake and champagne, good music and dancing. On the dance floor, Simon held Dane in his arms, and as they swayed to a slow rhythm, he felt the miracle of her love deep in his bonding center. Into her ear, he whispered words meant for her alone, and they shared a tender kiss.

Standing at T'Naisa's side, Spock observed the happy couple and said, "Well…it is done."

Her hand found his and with a sigh she declared, "A wealth of years before them."

"Yes, may it be so," he concurred, and turning toward her, gazed upon the alluring beauty of his own bondmate. With his free hand he fingered her soft cheek and said, "Should we join them in a dance?"

Surprised, she answered, "Oh, yes—let's! Who says a Vulcan can't be romantic?" She narrowed her eyes at him as she teased, "Or is this the cake talking? I noticed that you ate a sizeable piece, frosting and all. Not to mention the champagne."

He raised a brow. "But you _have_ mentioned it, _ashayam._ I trust that you will make sure I do not embarrass myself."

"That I will," she replied with a mischievous smile.

oooOOooo


End file.
